1. Liberally Educated for Life NEASC Annual Meeting December 8, 2016
Patricia Maguire Meservey
Salem State University
Lee Cuba
Wellesley College
Joseph Swingle
Nancy Jennings
Bowdoin College
Suzanne Lovett
Mary K. Grant
University of North Carolina, Asheville

2. Presentation Outline Practice for Life: Making Decisions in College
Background and thesis (Lee)
Methodology (Joe)
Major findings (Nancy)
Lessons learned (Suzanne)
Commentary (Mary)
Open discussion and questions (Pat)

3. Background and Thesis

4. New England Consortium on Assessment and Student Learning
Seven liberal arts colleges
Bates, Bowdoin, Colby, Middlebury, Smith, Trinity, Wellesley
Partnership with NEASC
Longitudinal study of Class of 2010
Panel interviews every semester using student interviewers
Cohort surveys every year

6. Methodology

7. Panel Study of the Class of 2010
Initial sample size = 255
Race-stratified random sample (42 African-American, 36 Asian-American, 36 Latino/a, 38 International, and 100 domestic white students)
66% women and 34% men, but equal numbers of women and men at coed colleges
About 60% received financial aid
About 33% were first-generation

8. Panel Study of the Class of 2010
Academic experiences: Best/worst courses, choice of major, study habits, interactions with faculty, self-assessment of knowledge and skills
Social experiences: Interactions with friends, residential life, extracurricular activities, social life
Personal experiences: Managing time and life, being away from home, finding a sense of belonging, balancing competing demands
Aspirations, expectations, and self-reflection: Definitions of success, perceptions of change, hopes and fears, self-identity

9. Major Findings

12. Major Findings Don’t underestimate the value of small decisions
Students can learn from every decision they encounter, from the big ones, like what to major in, to the everyday ones such as how to spend your time and with whom.
Try to see college as an end in itself, rather than as a means to an end
The series of decisions, and the deadlines attached to them, can orient students too much toward the future rather than allowing them to try to stay in the present.
The importance of making new friends
College is an opportunity for students to broaden their social perspectives and gain valuable life practice in creating new and meaningful friendships.

13. Major Findings Making a home away from home
Students at residential colleges learn, live, work, and play in the same space with many of the same people, so college provides them with excellent practice at “home-making” and reflecting on what home means to them.
Developing professional relationships starts in college
Faculty members are potential mentors who offer valuable advice, but students have to make the effort to get to know them.
All academic experiences are not equally engaging
But students shouldn’t use this as an excuse. Students must seek out subjects, ideas, or approaches that excite them every semester and chances are they will have experiences that build toward more sustained engagement overall.

14. Lessons Learned

15. Lessons Learned Change takes time, effort, and especially perseverance
Change requires buy-in from senior staff, faculty, and students
Continued support requires evidence-based outcome assessments

16. Advising—What we found
Mismatch between student’s intended major and premajor advisor’s department
Wanted a specialist but got a general practitioner
Limited knowledge about intended major
Resented attempts to encourage balance and exploration
Missed opportunities for broader interactions

17. Advising—What we did at Bowdoin
Try to create an academic match between students and premajor advisor
Increased training for premajor advisors
You’re a general practitioner and that’s okay!
Provide with discipline-based support
Encourage faculty to take the lead with students
Some students need more support than others
BASE (Bowdoin Advising program in Support of Academic Excellence)
Students “apply” to participate (student buy-in was key)
Focus on student decision-making
Faculty are funded, trained, and supported year round

18. Commentary

19. Open Discussion and Questions